Your day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech will start with a trip along the Haouz plains towards the village of Chichaoua where you will stop for a cup of coffee before continuing to Sidi Mokhtar. On your way, you will cross the forest of Argan trees, where you can see some goats climbing the argan trees. See how Argan oil is extracted (also called liquid gold or Moroccan oil), you can visit a local ladies cooperative and learn how some fine cosmetic products are made locally from the rich Argan oil.
From here, we will continue our day trip to essaouira and at your arrival; you will be able to explore the beautiful city to pleasure:
From experience we can say that exploring Essaouira on your own is easy: The locals are very friendly, the Medina is quite small (compared to other ancient Moroccan towns), and its streets are in order. Definitely do not need a guide for the city tour. If you insist on one, your driver will help you hire a local guide for the tour.
While in essaouira you will visit the Old Portuguese Kasbah Secala, from there you will explore the port and see the fishermen on the boats selling the fresh fish and seafood. After that you will go through the famous square moulay el Hassan to get into the old medina and discover the narrow streets and enjoy a visit of many art galleries. Then, enjoy a fish lunch in a local restaurant of come back to the port to choose your fresh fish and fry it in a small local restaurant.
Late in the afternoon, return to Marrakech, and your one-day visit to Essaouira will end with your return to your hotel or riad.
